A deadly shooting outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta left a police officer and the suspected gunman dead Friday. The suspect claimed the COVID-19 vaccine caused his depression and suicidal thoughts.
🔍 What Happened: Police say 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White tried to enter the CDC campus but was stopped by security. He then crossed the street to a pharmacy and opened fire.
- Officer David Rose of DeKalb County was killed in the exchange.
- White, armed with multiple firearms, died on the second floor of a nearby building that housed a CVS Pharmacy.
🚨 Why It Matters: This wasn’t random gun violence. It targeted a federal public health agency and left staff, families, and local residents shaken. The shooting is fueling renewed calls for action against vaccine misinformation and for better protection of scientists.
⚠️ Between the Lines: CDC buildings were damaged by gunfire. CDC staff and 90 children in an on-site school, sheltered in place for hours.
- The union representing CDC employees says misinformation is endangering scientists.
- They’re calling for a public statement from federal health officials condemning false vaccine claims and for tighter site security.
⏳ Catch Up: White’s father alerted police that his son could be the shooter. Neighbors say White had fixated on anti-vaccine beliefs in recent months.
🌎 The Big Picture: This attack comes amid growing hostility toward public health institutions, often fueled by disinformation. It follows another high-profile shooting in Georgia earlier this week, adding to law enforcement concerns about targeted violence in the state.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
